Prepare Your Heart to be Blessed – 4

Subject: Get in the Boat

by Rick Welborne

Matthew 14:2233 (NKJV) 

22 Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, while He sent the multitudes away. 

23 And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. Now when evening came, He was alone there. 

24 But the boat was now in the middle of the sea, tossed by the waves, for the wind was contrary. 

25 Now in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them, walking on the sea. 

26 And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, "It is a ghost!" And they cried out for fear. 

27 But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, "Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid." 

28 And Peter answered Him and said, "Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water." 

29 So He said, "Come." And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. 

30 But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, "Lord, save me!" 

31 And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, "O you of little faith, why did you doubt?" 

32 And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. 

33 Then those who were in the boat came and worshiped Him, saying, "Truly You are the Son of God." 

–How exciting a couple of weeks ago it was to have all the Life Church Ministries pass before us and see what all God is doing. Last Sunday Jeff Staute really blessed us.

–Thank you for so many of you filling out your ministry forms and thanks to the rest of you who will do the same...It is obviously time to get out of the boat and minister. Faith Promises!

–I hope and pray that the day is over that you have to guilt people into doing something for Christ and that they will do it because they love Jesus so much.

–Tonight I want to speak to you about the process and purpose of going to the other side.

1. Jesus made His disciples get in the boat to go to the other side.

–Immediately Jesus made His disciples...I love the urgency and the authority of Jesus to get His disciples to the other side.

–Evidently there was something or someone very important on the other side...people!

–Jesus was sending His disciples on a mission’s trip because there were people who needed salvation and healing...do you suppose Jesus wants to use Life Church to minister on the other side of the ocean and here at home.

–He sent the multitudes away and He went up on a mountain to pray...I suppose He was praying for those they had just touched to remain faithful and praying for those on the other side to be saved.

Dan Betzer: Why should we be able to hear the gospel over and over again when there are people who have not heard it once?

–He sent the people away so He and His disciples could go to the other side.

2. Jesus never promised us that the process of getting to the other side would be easy.

–The boat was now in the middle of the sea, tossed by the waves, for the wind was contrary. 

–Why is it, so often, that when we decide to do the right thing that there is adversity. Tithes- Missions

–Jesus made His disciples get in the boat to go to the other side and now they are in the middle of a storm. Must not have heard from God...having all this trouble.

–Listen to what God says about Israel crossing the Red Sea on dry land:

Isaiah 43:1519 (NKJV) 

15 I am the LORD, your Holy One, The Creator of Israel, your King." 

16 Thus says the LORD, who makes a way in the sea And a path through the mighty waters, 

17 Who brings forth the chariot and horse, The army and the power (They shall lie down together, they shall not rise; They are extinguished, they are quenched like a wick): 

18 "Do not remember the former things, Nor consider the things of old. 

19 Behold, I will do a new thing, Now it shall spring forth; Shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness And rivers in the desert. 

–He is the God who makes a way in the sea and a path through the mighty waters...a road in the wilderness...rivers in the desert...if He says Go...He will make a way. If He says give…give!

–If He lays on your heart to help Life Church to be able to send almost 170 missionaries or more all around the world...He will make a way in your financial storm.

–If we do that, Pastor Rick, we will surely drown...So I guess you are saying that God cannot keep His Word...He will make a way in the sea and in the mighty storm.

–If Jesus said we are getting in the boat and going to the other side...we will get there...The people...the souls on the other side are of such value to Jesus...He will make a way. 

3. Jesus promises to go with us when He sends us to the other side.

–Now in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them, walking on the sea. 

–What makes ministry and missions possible is knowing that Jesus will be with us. He has promised that Holy Spirit will give us power to be witnesses.

Matthew 28:1820 (NLT) 

18 Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth.

19 Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. 

20 Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” 

–Jesus is with us always...He has all authority in heaven and on earth and He has told us to go or help people to go to the other side to do what...make disciples, baptize them, and to teach them to obey His commands...this is what missions is all about.

–His power and authority is evident by how He walks on the very things which cause us fear...the storms of life.

4. Jesus commands Peter to get out of the boat and walk on the water to Him.

–How do you know He commanded Peter to walk on water? Peter answered Him and said, "Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water." He said, Come!

–Too funny...Jesus tells the disciples to get in the boat and now He tells Peter to get out of the boat and walk...The purpose of this is to let us know we must obey on the way to the other side.

–Maybe you cannot see any way that you can pay your tithes (10% of your income) and to give to missions also...I strongly encourage you to obey what Jesus commands you.

–Maybe this coming week you should have the faith of the apostle Peter...Lord, command me to Come to you...Lord, command me what to do about bringing my tithes and supporting missions.

–I cannot re-iterate to you enough how blessed you will be if you joyfully obey whatever Jesus asked you to do in your heart or thru His Word.

–What if we obey and we begin to sink...The same thing will happen to you that happened to Peter…

Matthew 14:3033 (NKJV) 

30 But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, "Lord, save me!" 

31 And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, "O you of little faith, why did you doubt?" 

32 And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. 

33 Then those who were in the boat came and worshiped Him, saying, "Truly You are the Son of God." 

–You cry out: Lord, save me! Jesus will reach out His hand and catch you. When He does you will worship Him and say: "Truly You are the Son of God." 

Malachi 3:10 (NIV) 

10 Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it. 

5. Jesus sent them to the other side so they could witness a great revival.

Mark 6:5356 (NKJV) 

53 When they had crossed over, they came to the land of Gennesaret and anchored there. 

54 And when they came out of the boat, immediately the people recognized Him, 

55 ran through that whole surrounding region, and began to carry about on beds those who were sick to wherever they heard He was. 

56 Wherever He entered into villages, cities, or in the country, they laid the sick in the marketplaces, and begged Him that they might just touch the hem of His garment. And as many as touched Him were made well. 

–When they have crossed over...Yippee! Mission accomplished...well not completely.

–You see when we give to Missions...it is the front side of the miracle...we provide for those getting in the boat to physically go to the other side.

–You see, our A/G missionaries travel from church to church sharing their call to some land and they ask churches like Life Church to support them on a monthly basis.

–When they have enough churches supporting them they get in the boat (plane) and go to the other side...Many of them face great difficulty getting where God calls them.

–They persevere because the God Who says “Come” also says “Go”. You could literally help a missionary fulfill God’s call and also fulfill God’s plan to reach the lost.

–When the disciples (along with Jesus) came out of the boat...revival broke out! I am of the opinion as the people of Life Church get out of the boat...the same will happen.

–This is what we call “Good News!” Such good news that the people began to run thru the whole surrounding region bringing to Jesus those who were sick.

Mark 6:56 (NKJV)

56 Wherever He entered into villages, cities, or in the country, they laid the sick in the marketplaces, and begged Him that they might just touch the hem of His garment. And as many as touched Him were made well. 

–We declare revival is coming! We declare revival is coming!

–All we need are some folks to get in the boat (catch the vision of Jesus, the church, and missions), endure some hardships and sacrifice, and then get out of the boat on the other side...reaching the lost.

–Find your purpose: Get out of the boat...fill out a faith promise next week (100%), fill out a ministry form, get connected to the body of Christ, and walk on the water for someone else’s soul!

Prepare Your Heart to be Blessed – 3

Subject: Five Steps In Fulfilling The Great Commission

by Rick Welborne

Isaiah 64:112 (NKJV) 

1 Oh, that You would rend the heavens! That You would come down! That the mountains might shake at Your presence 

2 As fire burns brushwood, As fire causes water to boil To make Your name known to Your adversaries, That the nations may tremble at Your presence! 

3 When You did awesome things for which we did not look, You came down, The mountains shook at Your presence. 

4 For since the beginning of the world Men have not heard nor perceived by the ear, Nor has the eye seen any God besides You, Who acts for the one who waits for Him. 

5 You meet him who rejoices and does righteousness, Who remembers You in Your ways. You are indeed angry, for we have sinned In these ways we continue; And we need to be saved. 

6 But we are all like an unclean thing, And all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags; We all fade as a leaf, And our iniquities, like the wind, Have taken us away. 

7 And there is no one who calls on Your name, Who stirs himself up to take hold of You; For You have hidden Your face from us, And have consumed us because of our iniquities. 

8 But now, O LORD, You are our Father; We are the clay, and You our potter; And all we are the work of Your hand. 

9 Do not be furious, O LORD, Nor remember iniquity forever; Indeed, please lookwe all are Your people! 

10 Your holy cities are a wilderness, Zion is a wilderness, Jerusalem a desolation. 

11 Our holy and beautiful temple, Where our fathers praised You, Is burned up with fire; And all our pleasant things are laid waste. 

12 Will You restrain Yourself because of these things, O LORD? Will You hold Your peace, and afflict us very severely? 

1. Life Church, to fulfill the Great Commission you must come to a place of personal crisis. 

Isaiah 64:6 (NKJV) 

6 But we are all like an unclean thing, And all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags; We all fade as a leaf, And our iniquities, like the wind, Have taken us away. 

--Before you can truly have a heart for missions you must realize that at one time you were the mission field. When we forget how Jesus came and saved us, we have lost motivation to reach others.

--Often when I am trying to draw the net in during an altar call, I once again feel that personal crisis of being lost…when I feel my lost-ness, I can identify with those I am trying to reach!

--We must realize that we are all like an unclean thing and our righteousness is a filthy rag:

Romans 3:23-24 (NKJV)
²³  for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
²⁴  being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,

2. Life Church, to fulfill the Great Commission you must come to a place of personal contact. 

Isaiah 64:7 (NKJV) 

7 And there is no one who calls on Your name, Who stirs himself up to take hold of You; For You have hidden Your face from us, And have consumed us because of our iniquities. 

--Let’s truly face it, until we have an awesome encounter with God, we will not have the compassion for the lost or for missions as we should.

--As we draw near to God and He draws near to us, we find ourselves loving those Whom Jesus died for…I experienced this personally when I had my personal contact (my salvation) with Jesus.

--You have heard my testimony of having an adversarial relationship with my father and how I could not wait to get him out of my life…why I left home at 17 years of age.

--Also, being raised in Louisiana, we were beyond prejudice…we were taught to hate anyone of a different race or color…at age 4-5 my dad taught me how to wave at them with one finger…my mom knocked me kooky!

--Once I received Christ, my personal contact with Jesus changed my life in two ways that were unmistakable to me. All of a sudden I had an incredible love for my dad and those who looked different than me. 

--My dad’s own testimony was that it was my love for him that changed his heart and caused him to turn toward God.

John 13:34-35 (NKJV)
³⁴  A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.
³⁵  By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."  

3. Life Church, to fulfill the Great Commission you must come to a place of powerful confrontation.

Isaiah 64:1 and 8 (NKJV) 

1 Oh, that You would rend the heavens! That You would come down! That the mountains might shake at Your presence 

8 But now, O LORD, You are our Father; We are the clay, and You our potter; And all we are the work of Your hand. 

--Can I please say it? What we need more than we need anything else is for the Lord, for Holy Spirit to come down (to rend the heavens), to shake us and to shape us into what He wants us to be.

Hebrews 12:25-29 (NKJV)
²⁵  See that you do not refuse Him who speaks. For if they did not escape who refused Him who spoke on earth, much more shall we not escape if we turn away from Him who speaks from heaven,
²⁶  whose voice then shook the earth; but now He has promised, saying, "Yet once more I shake not only the earth, but also heaven."
²⁷  Now this, "Yet once more," indicates the removal of those things that are being shaken, as of things that are made, that the things which cannot be shaken may remain.
²⁸  Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear.
²⁹  For our God is a consuming fire.

--I am definitely not an advocate for alcohol and I do not necessarily like beer commercials. One commercial that has caught my ear is the one where the man says…Stay Thirsty My Friend!

John 7:37-39 (NKJV)
³⁷  On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink.
³⁸  He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water."
³⁹  But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.

--Jesus was crying out to the people on the last day of the Feast of Tabernacles “If anyone thirsts”. How crazy is that because they had been eating and drinking for seven days straight. How could they be thirsty?

--Do you just suppose Jesus could see that they had been drinking from all the wrong fountains…maybe the mud paddles of life…He was inviting them and us to a place of powerful confrontation with Holy Spirit!

4. Life Church, to fulfill the Great Commission you must come to a place of persistent commitment. 

Isaiah 64:7 (NKJV) 

7 And there is no one who calls on Your name, Who stirs himself up to take hold of You; 

Let’s face it, if we will have personal contact and a powerful confrontation with the Lord, it will be because we are persistently committed to the Lord! We must stir up ourselves and we must take hold of the Lord!

2 Timothy 1:612 (NKJV) 

6 Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. 

7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. 

8 Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner, but share with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God, 

9 who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began, 

10 but has now been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who has abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel, 

11 to which I was appointed a preacher, an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles. 

12 For this reason I also suffer these things; nevertheless I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed 

and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day. 

Helen Keller - What’s worse than being blind? Having eye sight but no vision.

Vision:  1.the ability to see. 2. The faith to believe. 3. The courage to do. 4. The hope to endure.   

–Life Church, can you see it? Do you have faith to believe it? Do you have the courage to do it? Do you have a willingness to endure what God commands?

--When we are persistently committed, when we stir ourselves up by Holy Spirit, and when we decide to take hold of God, we prove we have vision for God!

Isaiah 64:4 (NKJV) 

4 For since the beginning of the world Men have not heard nor perceived by the ear, Nor has the eye seen any God besides You, Who acts for the one who waits for Him. 

--As we truly wait for Him and as we truly wait on Him…His Holy Spirit pours in His love and we are committed because of His great love for us. 

Romans 5:510 (NIV) 

5 And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us. 

6 You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. 

7 Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. 

8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 

9 Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath through him! 

10 For if, when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! 

5. Life Church, to fulfill the Great Commission you must come to a place of passionate communion.

Isaiah 64:1 (NIV) 

1 Oh, that you would rend the heavens and come down, that the mountains would tremble before you! 

--Vision produces or results in passion. Passion is being empowered by what we see. If you see people with no passion - you know they have no vision. Exp. Pastor - waiting.

Webster - passion is the intense, compelling emotion evidenced in decisive, courageous action.  

Carl Barth - “Passion is fear that said its prayers”.

Sir Walter Moberly addressing Christians in an academic environment: You, Christians, if one tenth of what you believe is true you ought to be ten times more excited than you are. But evidently it is not true. I take one look at your face and rest my case.  

Oliver Wendell Holmes - I may have entered the ministry if certain clergy I knew had not looked and acted like undertakers.  

Robert Lewis Stephenson in his diary said with great amazement - I have been to church today and I 

am not depressed. What an indictment of no passion.

--Listen to the Apostle Paul speak of his passionate communion with Jesus:

Philippians 3:811 (MSG) 

8 Yes, all the things I once thought were so important are gone from my life. Compared to the high privilege of knowing Christ Jesus as my Master, firsthand, everything I once thought I had going for me is insignificant—dog dung. I've dumped it all in the trash so that I could embrace Christ 

9 and be embraced by Him. I didn't want some petty, inferior brand of righteousness that comes from keeping a list of rules when I could get the robust kind that comes from trusting Christ—God's righteousness. 

10 I gave up all that inferior stuff so I could know Christ personally, experience His resurrection power, be a partner in His suffering, and go all the way with Him to death itself. 

11 If there was any way to get in on the resurrection from the dead, I wanted to do it. 

1. Paul said, “My love for Christ and His love for me is worth me eliminating things in my life that aren’t good.”  You fill in that blank.

2. Paul said, “My love for Christ and His love for me is worth me changing my priorities.”  Maybe 2018 is when you make Missions a priority and not just a token.

3. Paul said, “Nothing is more important than knowing Christ and partnering with Him in reaching the world.”

4. Paul said, “Nothing is more important than making sure others experience the same resurrection power that I have experienced!

Mission’s Convention Month – 2018

Subject: Celebrating God’s Faithfulness thru Our People
by Rick Welborne

2 Corinthians 9:5-15 (NLT)
⁵  So I thought I should send these brothers ahead of me to make sure the gift you promised is ready. But I want it to be a willing gift, not one given grudgingly.
⁶  Remember this—a farmer who plants only a few seeds will get a small crop. But the one who plants generously will get a generous crop.
⁷  You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. “For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.”
⁸  And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others.
⁹  As the Scriptures say, “They share freely and give generously to the poor. Their good deeds will be remembered forever.”
¹⁰  For God is the one who provides seed for the farmer and then bread to eat. In the same way, he will provide and increase your resources and then produce a great harvest of generosity in you.
¹¹  Yes, you will be enriched in every way so that you can always be generous. And when we take your gifts to those who need them, they will thank God.
¹²  So two good things will result from this ministry of giving—the needs of the believers in Jerusalem will be met, and they will joyfully express their thanks to God.
¹³  As a result of your ministry, they will give glory to God. For your generosity to them and to all believers will prove that you are obedient to the Good News of Christ.
¹⁴  And they will pray for you with deep affection because of the overflowing grace God has given to you.
¹⁵  Thank God for this gift too wonderful for words! 

--The Apostle Paul is sending an envoy ahead of him to receive a Faith Promise from Achaia (Greece) for the believers in Jerusalem who were very much in need. 

--A Faith Promise is what you prayerfully decide God wants you to do for the Missions of Life Church on a monthly basis or for a one time offering in 2018. This is between you and God. Your FP card is in your bulletin.

--He wants the gift to be a willing gift not one people gave begrudgingly…like you folks did here at Life Church in 2017. You prayed and God spoke to your heart and you gave! Wonderful!

--I don’t want any of you to give reluctantly or because of pressure because God loves a cheerful giver. Listen to God’s promise as we do this:

2 Corinthians 9:8 (NLT)
⁸  And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others.

--Of course, my purpose today and our purpose for the next few weeks (today and two other Sundays) is to encourage you to make a faith promise to our General Missions of Life Church. Let’s do it in three Sundays!

--I say General Missions because if you give only designated offerings to particular missionaries or missions, that does not help us to be able to add more missionaries or increase the ones we have. You can do both.

--Today is a humble celebration of what God has done in 2017 here at Life Church thru all of us who were willing to be faithful in the tithe and also with mission’s offerings. Please get ready to celebrate!

Psalm 34:1-3 (NKJV)
¹  I will bless the LORD at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth.
²  My soul shall make its boast in the LORD; The humble shall hear of it and be glad.
³  Oh, magnify the LORD with me, And let us exalt His name together. 

1. Though our wonderful House of Hope and all their incredible volunteers, in 2017 we gave to our community 261,100 pounds or 130.6 tons of food.

--The House of Hope is led by Everett Bass and his awesome team…thanks so much! Please stand!

--Life Church spent only $10,121.17 in purchasing food (Second Harvest) and the rest was given by you, by First Baptist Church of Leesburg, Operation Blessings, and by Harbor Oaks Community ($993 cash).

--They averaged about 338 families a month…4,046 families annually. Brother Bass’s report said that they ministered to or impacted about 1,120 individuals a month! Volunteer hours were 3900 hours. 75 a week!

2. Through Joseph’s Storehouse (our benevolence ministry) we gave over $36,000 to help the poor and needy in our community, to help teachers in two schools, and to help those needing counseling.

--We have cultivated an atmosphere of generosity at Life Church and I commend you for catching the vision of what God is doing and desires to do. All the teachers in two schools received $50 each from our church. 

--I figured that we gave close to $700 a week (an average) to help the poor and needy in our community. God bless you, Life Church, for your amazing generosity. 

Proverbs 19:17 (NLT)
¹⁷  If you help the poor, you are lending to the LORD— and he will repay you! 

--I don’t believe there is a lack of funds for ministry but I do believe there is a lack of vision…people will put their money where there is vision.

Proverbs 29:18 (KJV)
¹⁸  Where there is no vision, the people perish…

Proverbs 29:18 (NKJV)
¹⁸  Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint…

--Leadership is here to bring vision and revelation about what our responsibilities are…the poor and missions!

Quote: We often hear, “Put your money where your mouth is” but I say “Put your money where your vision is.”

--Of that $36000, $4000 went to help people who could not adequately have a Christmas for their families… thank you again for your generosity!

3. Through our Life Church Mission’s Program in 2017 we were able to do amazing things!

--We started the year with 155 missionaries and because of your generosity we ended the year with 170…44 US and 126 World…do you understand how incredible that is? Thank you for being so faithful!

--I always want people to know how we support US Missions because many will try to say, “Why do we send so much money around the world when the US needs help?” We get it. We support 44 here and could do more!

--Because we had 39 new Faith Promises to Missions last year, for the first time we had over 200…actually 201. It is so important for everyone to give to the General Missions so that we can increase our numbers.

--Even though our Faith Promises totaled $236,314…our total giving was much higher than that…$380, 972.88.

Just think what we could do if we had 100% participation? Make a FP of $1 a week…can’t pay it…I will!

--Out of 12,850 churches in the A/G…we have been in the top 100 for several years…how crazy is it that a relatively small A/G Church in Fruitland Park, Fl. can accomplish that…your generosity! God’s faithfulness!

--I expect my pastoral leadership, my Board of Deacons, department heads, and all who lead to be an example of faithful and generosity to Missions…General Missions! It is our life blood and why we are so blessed!

1 Timothy 4:12 (NLT)
¹²  Don’t let anyone think less of you because you are young. Be an example to all believers in what you say, in the way you live, in your love, your faith, and your purity.

--Pastor, why do we only support A/G Missionaries? We support mostly A/G missionaries because we know their doctrine and their process but we also support non-A/G missions…$32,855. What do you say now? 

--There is no reason we cannot give half a million dollars ($500,000) to missions from Life Church if everyone participates and listens to God speaking to your hearts. We have you now…what about the new campus?

--In man’s economy you would think that giving so much to Missions would hurt our dream of having a campus in the Villages…but that is not how God’s economy works!

--When we built this beautiful building we are in this morning (2.2 million dollars) God spoke to me and told me to tell the people…If you can only give to the building or to Missions…give to Missions! No pressure!

--As the money came in for the building…the Missions giving kept increasing year after year…it was such a God thing. Two Sundays in a row visitors put in the offering $100,000 each toward the building! PTL!

--We, by God’s grace, were able to pay this wonderful sanctuary off in just three years with people who were first, faithful in the tithe and Missions, and then, who gave sacrificially to the building. God’s economy!

--I have had people ask me thru the years does Life Church tithe (give 10%) of the money that comes in back into ministry and missions? I say “no” because we give about one-third of our funds into these areas.

--That being said, we had been taking 2% of our GF and putting it into all the other Mission’s giving of our church. This summer we increased it to 3% just wondering what God would do.

--We did it in June and in July we had the most giving ever in that month. God’s economy!

4. Life Church is celebrating God’s favor in an incredible way.

--Our Men’s Ministry under Bill Bibler is growing and thriving! Our WMs Ministry is flourishing under Donna Brooker…30 at the Lady’s Night Out.

--The Life Church Music Department under Pastor Aaron and his team is growing so much that we have just ordered more chairs. Bible Quiz has exploded with growth and success under Pastor Mark and Christie Anne.

--LaVida (our Spanish ministry) was wondering about its survival a year ago and now has grown to almost 40 adults not counting children. Pastor Juan and Pastor Rick Orsini are leading this ministry. 

--BYF under Pastor Marty and Faye just had one of its largest attendances ever with Ken Pippin. Connect Groups are growing under Pastor Joseph. 

--We could go on and on but time will not permit. Thanks to all the other ministries that are also growing and making disciples on a regular basis.

--Yes, we are here to celebrate God’s faithfulness but we are here at the beginning of this Missions Month to boast in the Lord, to celebrate you and your faithfulness, and to challenge you again to commit to FPs.

--When we take on a missionary we do it basically for life or at least until they come off the field. We challenge you to be here these first three Sundays of February to here our heart and our speaker’s hearts for Missions.

--These speakers are great speakers and will challenge you! By the way, when we have guest missionaries, please do not decide to stay home…they need your encouragement and support. It’s not all about you!

--Be willing to give up something to do a FP for the first time or to increase your FP. God will bless you for it. Our family and our church has experienced those blessings for years.

2 Corinthians 9:12-15 (NKJV)
¹²  For the administration of this service not only supplies the needs of the saints, but also is abounding through many thanksgivings to God,
¹³  while, through the proof of this ministry, they glorify God for the obedience of your confession to the gospel of Christ, and for your liberal sharing with them and all men,
¹⁴  and by their prayer for you, who long for you because of the exceeding grace of God in you.
¹⁵  Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!

Our faithfulness to giving and our faithfulness to Missions:

1. Meets the needs of the missionaries.

2. It causes thanksgiving to God.

3. It shows your confession of Christ is sincere.

4. It causes the recipients (the missionaries) to pray for you.

5. It magnifies God’s indescribable gift…Jesus!